Natrona County School District Trustees Want Public Input On New Bullying Policy

The Natrona County School District's board of trustees heard on first reading a revised anti-bullying and anti-harassment policy on Tuesday.

Before they vote on it at the second and final reading next month, they will want to hear from the public, they said.

Trustee Dana Howie said the new policy makes a major change with a clearer definition of bullying by including harassment and intimidation.

"We want the bullying policy to be part of professional development for teachers, for anybody who works with kids, for the students; especially for the students because they tend to forget or they don't pay attention until it applies to them right then," Howie said. "So the education piece is a big deal."

Much of the new policy follows state law, but it will emphasize the regulations to deal with bullying and make them uniform, and known, throughout the district, she said.

However, not everything can be open when dealing with bullying because the district is bound by privacy regulations that forbid it from releasing certain details about perpetrators and the consequences of their actions, she said.

The public needs to know that, too, Howie added.

The new policy will be revised over time as the district receives more information about the frequency and types of bullying, she said.

The board of trustees will vote on the new policy at its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10.

Before that meeting, though, the board will conduct an hour-long work session to hear from parents, students and other members of the public about their views on the policy.

The old and new policies can be found at the school district's website.